Semiconducting polymer dots (“Pdots,” used herein to describe a nanoscale polymer particle) possess large absorption cross-sections, high quantum yields, and fast emission rates. These optical properties make them well-suited for biological detection and imaging, high-speed single-particle tracking, and various biosensing platforms. Recently Pdot-bioconjugates have been developed and their applications in specific cellular imaging, bioorthogonal labeling, and in vivo tumor targeting, have been demonstrated. Successful bioconjugation opens up a new and practical way to employ the highly fluorescent and non-toxic Pdot-bioconjugates for a wide variety of biological applications.
Despite the field's progress, there is still a great need to explore new polymer species that form highly fluorescent Pdots, especially ones that complement the absorption and emission properties of currently available Pdots.